


Indescribable Romance

by Monica89555



Category: Furry (Fandom), Original Work
Genre: Angst, Dragons, F/M, Fantasy, Furry, Gay, LGBTQ, M/M, OC, OCs - Freeform, War, lgbtq+
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:28:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26864407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Monica89555/pseuds/Monica89555
Summary: A bipedal dragon named Levac, one of the most feared among his war comrades and squadron, has unexpectantly met a certain canine. Levac didn't know what he was expecting when he, with his mentor Irri, met Bailey for the first time, but it certainly wasn't this. Stay tuned for more adventures and chaos between Levac's biggest fan and the unamused Levac himself!
Relationships: Bailey/Levac
Kudos: 6





	1. Unexpected Visit

The sky, rich with colors indescribable, stretched across the not-so-barren landscape. Velvet, gold, and red decorated the sky as the sun was hanging low across the vibrant horizon. The sun's rays trickled down upon the land of enchanting green, where small critters scurried here and there ceaselessly among the thickets.

Various buildings towered above the residents of the small village protected by a military base. The base was full of activity, where warriors were out in the courtyard training among themselves and sparring endlessly. Some wore armor, either lightweight or heavyweight depending on the kind of work they performed, and others weren't necessarily on the field and didn't need such protection. 

Levac was a distance away from the others in the courtyard, the different flurries of fur not his thing. He preferred to be alone, rigid and cold to those he didn't know, and there were certainly a lot of people he knew not of. He knew of faces and not names, different magical traits each of his comrades possessed, but he didn't care enough to get to know any of them. They laughed boisterously to one another, a sound Levac heard but never made. Laughter was foreign to him and besides, he had no one else to share it with.

He was a dragon, a feared beast among anyone who dared to gawk as his cold appearance. He possessed no scales but he didn't need that protection. His fur of black and gray were enough of a warning to the others to back off from him, for he was not someone to be messed with. Small horns jutted out from his head along the top of his skull and the sides of it. They shone like dark sapphires, enchanting and dangerous, untouched by those who want his head. He held the reputation of a fearsome warrior, silent and deadly, with the grace of a dark panther stalking amongst crowds foreign to him. He didn't care for small talk. In fact, he was almost certain nobody knew he could actually talk. He preferred it that way. 

If someone came to him and told him he should make a friend, he'd brush them off in an instant. That had happened multiple times. General Irri was one of those people. She was one of the few who knew of his origins and he trusted her with his life. Not many had that privilege. And even so, the General always tried to beckon him to befriend at least one of his fellow comrades and allies. He never did, of course, and he could tell the General was always mildly disappointed in his decision each time. 

Irri was a kind soul, Levac knew. She was gentle and patient, with a charming smile that was unrivaled among the squadron. With her smile alone, she could brighten a room shrouded in unforgiving darkness that Levac knew all-too well. She was the first person Levac had gotten to know. The General was so kind to him, patient in the fact he never talked and preferred to speak with gestures or write down what he wanted to say. She never forced him to hurry or grew impatient, and around her Levac felt safe in such a foreign place. He had been here for years now, gotten himself a reputation of one of the most feared warriors within the base, and he could tell Irri was proud of him. He liked the praise that she gave him.

Levac lingered near the fenced boundaries of the courtyard, his lengthy tail decorated in blue feathers swaying languidly behind him. His clawed feet, silent against the earthy ground, allowed him to glide along the outer interior of the training field. With each step, muscles rippled beneath his fur of black and gray, each stride as powerful and lengthy as the last. His clothing was simple and not at all extravagant, for he wished to not draw attention to himself no matter where he was. A simple black shirt sufficed, trimmed with gold just for the factor that it was appealing to him. He may not like to be noticed but he always wanted to look nice. His tuft of brown fur was strewn neatly over his head, the strands falling just between his larger blue horns, only to spiral down the middle of his back. The rest of the strands were hidden due to his shirt and breeches, although the brown fur aligned the medial center of his tail down to the tip of the appendage, in between the cerulean feathers that aligned the outer sides.

He never needed to train necessarily, for his body was built like a true warrior. He enjoyed training sessions regardless, where he could hone his natural skills with his claws and blades. He had just finished his session and was now idly stalking around the courtyard, watching sparring partners train with each other. Again, he didn't care for that kind of interaction, even if it was a professional one. He typically towered over all of them anyway and he has yet to see another dragon like himself other than General Irri. Maybe that was why he clicked with her instantly.

Something quick and barely seen caught his attention, snapping him out of his thought process and idle strides. He pivoted on his claws, his fur abruptly swaying from the quick movement of a warrior so used to acting quickly on his feet. A flash of pink quickly caught his attention, but as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared behind a wall. He was left standing there, stunned in familiar silence, unsure if he had imagined the entire thing or someone- _something _\- was out there. His tail swayed uneasily behind him and he was so focused on staring at that wall, waiting for whatever he saw to return, he didn't notice when one of his comrades walked to his side.__

____

____

"Levac? Is something wrong?" The voice asked, quickly snapping Levac out of his thought process again. That seemed to be happening quite a lot during the recent days.

Levac slowly lowered his gaze towards the owner of the voice. His eyes of unforgiving brown burrowed into the smaller being beside him and he roved his intense gaze over him. The owner of the voice was puny and scrawny, his fur of a foreign ivory color decorated in ebony-white. He had large fennec fox ears, clearly meant for surveying the land and listening in on conversations. Levac wasn't surprised that this tiny creature had noticed what just happened. Regardless, Levac said not a word, staring holes through the bipedal fennec fox with his relentless glare.

Levac felt mildly amused when the fennec fox was clearly uneasy from the awkward, albeit intense, silence. The dragon didn't bother trying to sign to the creature, no longer caring to try and communicate with anyone or anything. Not everyone knew sign language but at that thought, he remembered Irri. Irri was one of the few who bothered to learn the language. 

"Uh... I'm going to assume you're alright, then." The fennec fox murmured uneasily. Levac watched him shift back and forth on his fluffy paws meant for long-distance travel, and the way the smaller creature's tail was puffed out made Levac satisfied. 

_That's right. Fear me. ___

__Levac's stare was unblinking like two merciless daggers that were ready to strike his unfortunate prey. He was a predator and the way his body was built clearly showed that. His teeth laid over his bottom lip in an overbite, colored in crimson-red. Nobody knew if it was blood or just the color of his fangs, and the question was common among the squadron. He found it amusing how everyone feared him. They should fear him. His strength was unrivaled._ _

__During the silence, Levac watched the fennec fox slowly shimmy away, the awkwardness and tension in the air too much for the soft creature. Once the scrawny creature left him, Levac returned his gaze towards the location of where he saw the flurry of pink. He folded his arms thoughtfully over his muscular chest, each individual tendon and muscle rippling beneath his fur with every movement. He didn't imagine that blur. He was too sharp for mind-games._ _

__Reluctantly, Levac turned away from the barbed fence and strode towards the courtyard exit. His brown eyes flickered towards anyone who dared to watch him move away from them, and the way they scurried out of the way was satisfying. He loved being feared. He didn't need friends. Friends made him weak. He was anything but weak._ _

__Levac stalked along the pavement that led into the military base, many hallways stretching across his vision, aligned with doors that led to many rooms. He liked these hallways whenever nobody was in them. Not just because he wanted to be left alone, but the fact it was so enchantingly quiet made him feel at home. No boisterous laughter had him reeling and reaching for a blade and there were no unknown faces observing him for any kind of sign that he was friendly. He hated loud sounds. They always made him tense and reaching for one of his blades decorated in cold and collected darkness that materialized into the blade itself. Loud sounds triggered his instincts; something as simple as glass shattering was enough to have him on high alert. He hated that._ _

__Levac huffed to himself, the gesture breathy and quiet. He had his gaze fixated ahead of him and he walked along the many empty hallways, twisting and turning around corners. He eventually halted before a simple-looking door, nothing too extravagant but no other doors were in this short hallway. He took in a deep breath and lifted his clawed fist, lightly knocking on the door. He waited patiently._ _

__Levac perked towards the sweet voice that came from inside of the room, beckoning him to come in. "It's open!" The voice said. It was full of joy and enthusiasm, sweet like rose petals and not at all sharp like the thorns on said rose. Levac's tough persona faltered at the gentle voice; a voice he grew to adore every time he heard it._ _

__After a small moment of hesitation, he opened the door to be greeted by a neatly-kept room. There were potted plants here and there, aligning the windowsill and larger ferns resided on either side of the room's entrance. Ahead of Levac, a large desk was situated at the center of the room, a red rug strewn over the floor beneath it. Papers were neatly piled beside the person sitting at the desk, the busywork most likely important missives._ _

__Levac closed the door behind him, allowing his gaze to befall upon the woman ahead of him. She was a dragon like him, with light orange fur that complemented the warm, albeit narrow, face of General Irri. She had one leg crossed over the other patiently, her painted claw lightly tapping the desk just because she liked the soft sound. Levac knew it was one of her self-stimulatory behaviors because she preferred noise, unlike him. He couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised by how excited she seemed when he walked in through the door. He quickly took notice of her faintly wagging tail, decorated faintly in much smaller feathers compared to Levac's more mighty appendage._ _

__General Irri smiled, the gesture sweet and kind, something Levac refused to admit that he wanted in his life. The warmth was always welcoming every time he was greeted by her, especially her toothy smile. She was well-kempt like him, with fur neatly brushed and simple articles of clothing that quickly portrayed how different their personalities were despite the similarity in race. Levac wore all dark colors and barely any brighter colors, while General Irri wore more perky and colorful articles of clothing. As of right now, she was wearing a charming crimson-red shirt trimmed in jade-green, again complementing her bright and perky personality._ _

__"Hello, Levac!" The General purred, continuing to lightly tap the edge of her desk. Levac didn't mind the small noise as much since it was Irri. It wasn't loud, anyway._ _

__Levac said not a word, instead faintly nodding to her in greeting. He pulled over a chair from the bookshelf off to the side when Irri beckoned for him to sit with her._ _

__"Was there something you wanted to talk about?" Irri asked, always getting straight to the point. She couldn't read Levac's unwelcoming expression but she knew he meant well. She was clearly concerned for his well-being. Levac never understood why._ _

__Levac slowly lifted his claws, gesturing fluidly with grace many knew not of, clearly experienced in the art of sign. _"Saw something. Intruder."_ He signed, the gesture simple and straight to the point. He watched how attentive and alert the General was, and how her eyes of gold followed every movement of his hands._ _

__"Intruder?" Irri questioned audibly, her expression thoughtful. "That's.. troublesome. What did the intruder look like?"_ _

__Levac hesitated. He hadn't been able to catch a good glimpse of whatever it was that he saw. He was grateful Irri took his words seriously regardless._ _

__After a moment of hesitation, he signed again, the same familiar grace of his hands calming his nerves. _"Saw pink. Blur. Disappeared before I could get good look."__ _

____Irri, once again, paid incredible attention to the words Levac signed. Her thoughtful expression grew and she shifted slightly in her seat, clearly anxious and antsy over the fact there could be an intruder in her base. From the look on her face, Levac could quickly tell what she was thinking._ _ _ _

____Were they a spy?_ _ _ _

____General Irri faintly flapped her hand beside her, again another self-stimulatory behavior that Levac didn't mind. He knew not of what went on in Irri's mind but it was so different from his own. She always had to be touching something, making some kind of noise, or anything in between. She would tap her claw along the edge of any desk or table just to hear the soft click that resulted from the gesture, or she would hum to herself to make some kind of noise to help her focus on any task she was performing. Levac quietly admitted that her singing and humming voice was a surprisingly pleasant and nice sound. Beautiful, even._ _ _ _

____After the brief moment of silence, save for Irri's quiet tapping, the General spoke up. "You said a pink blur?" When Levac nodded, she continued. "I'll have to check it out. Would you like to accompany me? You're the witness, after all."_ _ _ _

____Levac immediately nodded, his unblinking stare fixating upon Irri. His glare faltered slightly towards how she smiled sweetly at him, and at that moment, his eyes softened towards the one person he enjoyed the company of. When he realized he faltered, his glare immediately hardened and his pupils faintly sharpened. He mustn't show weakness. That was something he could never show._ _ _ _

____"Then it's settled. You and I will check it out." The General nodded, slowly rising to her claws. Her steps were silent like a true predator, although she was not at all intimidating to Levac. When he complied and rose to his towering height, he easily dwarfed her from their height difference. She wasn't intimidated by him, probably the only one who wasn't, and he still didn't understand why._ _ _ _

____Levac followed Irri out of the tidy room and closed the door behind them upon leaving it. He observed her movements closely as they walked down the hallway and turned behind a corner. The way she hopped forward was always animated, all bubbly and excited made Levac intrigued with how different she was. The way she moved was enchanting and graceful, even when she flapped her hand at her side during her strides. In all honesty, Levac found it kind of cute whenever she stimmed. It was amusing that this woman was a General. She was not scary whatsoever._ _ _ _

____The two draconic beings made their way to the exit, Levac familiarly tensed and stiff in his walk. He remained abreast of the short Commander, although he held the door open for her. Seeing her smile in gratefulness towards his simple gesture was all the thanks he needed, then he followed her out of the exit._ _ _ _

____He was greeted by the cold, misty air of late evening once again. The sun was barely visible past the hills that bordered the base and the air was chilly, but for Levac and Irri, it was nothing. He led Irri past the fenced courtyard that was now empty, equipment scattered here and there after use. The two dragons made their way around the corner that Levac had seen the pink blur disappear behind, although there was nothing there. Just vegetation._ _ _ _

____"Are you sure the intruder was here?" Irri asked, albeit she knew Levac wouldn't lie to her. He was not that kind of person._ _ _ _

____Levac slowly glanced around the landscape decorated in bushes and earthy vegetation, the ground rich and moist from the previous night's drizzle. Levac slowly lowered himself to one knee against the dirt, his claw faintly brushing along the overturned soil that had been recently disturbed. He didn't even need to sign anything to Irri for her to understand. He only had to glance up at her with his familiar otherworldly stare and she nodded in understanding._ _ _ _

____The soil had been disturbed by something recently._ _ _ _

____Levac sniffed at the air, his nostrils flaring substantially as he stalked forward. A scent wafted in the wind, quickly catching Levac's attention once the scent reached his nostrils. It smelled like... grapes? What a peculiar smell._ _ _ _

____General Irri followed Levac as the much taller and masculine beast stalked forward, following the scent. They kept going around the building, a storage unit that was very clearly locked, although Levac abruptly perked in realization. He rose to his towering height, his posture straightening immensely as he realized that the scent was leading them no where. It kept going around and around the storage unit as if it was following them instead of vice versa. Levac growled uneasily to himself, a simple sound that was full of irritation that it made even General Irri concerned._ _ _ _

____Levac glanced back the way they had come, unbothered by Irri's concerned and confused expression she offered him. His fur bristled and his tail lashed uneasily behind him, easily slapping against the moist ground. He peered up at the roof of the storage unit, made of some kind of metallic substance that Levac didn't care to find out about. With another lash of his tail, he leapt onto the roof of the storage unit, his claws easily meeting the metal when he hoisted himself onto the smooth surface. He enjoyed the wind against his face when he leveled himself out onto all fours along the roof, his predatory stare sharpening towards the canine figure standing in front of him._ _ _ _

____He knew it._ _ _ _

____The bipedal lupine creature was stunned to silence, his eyes of light pink widening towards Levac when the dragon straightened his posture. The furry creature was scrawny and tiny compared to the mighty Levac but despite that, Levac was on his guard with a shadowy blade at hand. The lupine creature was shaking and even Levac didn't know if it was out of fear or excitement, but all Levac cared about was the color of the creature._ _ _ _

____There was.. so much pink. He wasn't sure if it was too much pink. He was split unevenly between light and dark and a lengthy tail, somewhat curled at the tip, was wagging behind him. Light reflected magnificently from the lupine beast's crystalline tail and Levac had never seen anything like it. He would be lying if he said he wasn't somewhat entranced by the crystals that made up the newcomer's tail. He snapped out of it quickly, instead staring at the awestruck newcomer. He faintly perked when he realized Irri had joined his side when she had realized Levac had found something. Particularly, he found someone. Someone unknown. Yet another unfamiliar face to add to the list._ _ _ _

____The scrawny creature kept wagging his tail in complete disbelief towards his hero standing in front of him. His eyes were bright and he wore simple clothing and breeches, nothing too spectacular or impressive to Levac._ _ _ _

____"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" The small, pink canine exclaimed wildly, stammering over his words when he tried to organize the jumble of sentences cluttering his brain. "I'm- uh, hello! I'm uh- my name... Bailey! And you're Levac! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" The canine, presumably Bailey, stammered ceaselessly._ _ _ _

____This lupine beast was pathetic. The way he swayed to each side indicated how close he was to passing out, either from shock, horror, excitement or even a mixture of all three, and his eyes were open so incredibly wide that Levac thought they were going to pop out of his sockets any moment. This small, furry pink blob already knew who Levac was and that deeply concerned him. But, just like always, he said not a word and just watched Bailey fumble over his sentences to try and get his point across._ _ _ _

____"You're... Bailey?" General Irri repeated, her gentle expression contorted with clear interest and amazement instead of anger. She was impressed beyond comprehension, that this lupine creature with such bright colors had managed to sneak onto military grounds undetected. She knew she'll probably have to do something about that._ _ _ _

____"Uh.. yeah! Name- Bailey. That's me! I'm Levac's biggest fan! He's so cool and remarkable and impressive and strong... He's soooo cool!" Bailey exclaimed, his crystalline tail of remarkable diverse pink-red colorations wagged excitedly behind him. He was enthusiastic but also somewhat frightened from the fact Levac was staring him down, unblinking, refusing to make any hints of any sound._ _ _ _

____"Did you... sneak onto these grounds on your own?" Irri slowly questioned, watching as Levac began to stalk closer towards the newcomer. His predatory eyes hardly blinked, fixating themselves upon Bailey with the intensity of two sharp blades preparing to strike. His pupils were mere slits and the fur along his tail was puffed out in the slightest during his moment of unease and uncertainty._ _ _ _

____Oh! Uh.. yeah." Bailey stammered faintly, averting his pink eyes towards Levac. He trembled with both horror and excitement the closer Levac stalked. "I- well, I... I just wanted to- Levac, he's cool. I wanted to- uh.. see him. Closer up." He stared at the menacing dragon who was now directly in front of him, his looming figure casting a dark shadow over Bailey's differently-colored pink fur. His ears subtly flattened towards the beast who he deemed as his hero._ _ _ _

____The poor canine looked ready to pass out, even more than a few moments ago._ _ _ _

____Irri went deathly silent, watching the intense scene unfold as Levac leaned closer to the newcomer. He was so close to Bailey that his smoky-warm breath wafted against the canine's pointed face, ruffling his pink and magenta fur. He had sheathed his blade at his side, the familiar coolness of the shadows proceeding to bounce along the icy-cold blade. He could feel the coldness of the dark matter along his large, furry claw, the feeling of soothing chaos emanated from the dagger. It was comforting in a way when he remembered how the shadows were always materializing to help him with whatever it was that he needed, and the languidly festering darkness was not at all chaotic. It was calm, collected, and was icy-cold to the touch even though the blade itself, made from an unidentifiable metal, was the only thing anyone else could physically touch._ _ _ _

____Levac was the only one that could truly touch and control the festering blackness that was the shadows._ _ _ _

____Levac didn't have time to fully comprehend what happened next, because in an instant, he swiped his claw forward. He snatched onto the arm of Bailey when the canine very clearly had passed out from Levac being so close to his face, and it took a moment for Levac to really understand what just happened. His feathery tail swayed uneasily behind him as he instinctively pulled the brightly-colored canine against his muscular body, his dark colors and muscular visage the complete mirror opposite of Bailey. He peered over the edge of the roof and, for a few moments, he had forgotten that they were on top of the storage unit and against the rickety shingles._ _ _ _

____Levac stared down at the unconscious trespasser he had saved from a possible concussion. His eyes fixated upon General Irri when she quickly made her way over to them, her steps silent against the roof tiles beneath her. She knelt down beside them and placed a hand over Bailey's forehead, her claw surprisingly gentle against the pink fur of his. She quietly minded Bailey's crystalline tail and the soft reflection of sunlight that trickled upon it. Instead, she just avoided the tail altogether as though she was afraid the pretty material could accidentally cut her._ _ _ _

____"Yeah. He's... out cold. What did you do?" The General questioned, lifting her gaze to focus on Levac's confused expression._ _ _ _

____His expression clearly said enough for Irri for her to know he didn't know what happened. He didn't know what to do and the fact he was holding this small, seemingly helpless canine was utterly foreign to him. His hardened gaze faltered from his silent internal turmoil of not knowing what to do. He always had some kind of foresight, knowing what he wanted to do next three steps ahead. He had reacted on impulse when he caught Bailey from falling off the roof as one of many examples, a strange sense of familiarity clinging to Levac's helpless gaze._ _ _ _


	2. Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bailey is awake after his little show and the General has decided to interrogate him. How did he sneak onto military grounds? Is he a spy? Does he work for anyone, especially the enemy? All those answers are sure to unravel at the seams as Irri gets her answers.

Bailey didn't know how long he had been out. His head swam in an endless ocean from his slight vertigo, and when his pink eyes opened, he was staring up at the ceiling of a brightly lit building. He rapidly blinked his eyes to have them adjust to the unfamiliar room and light that filtered into his irises. His pupils dilated instinctively and after a few moments of adjusting, he tried to focus on the quiet voices within the room. 

None he recognized.

His ears rang as if he had hit his head but, from briefly feeling his head for any signs of trauma, he found that he had no external injuries that were apparent. His memory was a little fuzzy and his face felt hot to the touch for many reasons Bailey couldn't explain. He sighed quietly, scolding himself for being such a fool. Of course he had to pass out in front of his _hero_ of all people!

The canine's ears perked towards a somewhat familiar voice that sounded beside him. "Oh! You're awake. That's good."

Bailey hesitantly cocked his head to the side to observe the feminine figure that was standing by his bedside. Her beautiful and gentle gaze was endearing and enchanting in those glorious orbs of hers, and her toothy smile was definitely welcoming. Her sun-touched fur of light orange and complementing white truly captured the soothing aura she emitted. Commander Irri. 

Bailey didn't feel as nervous as he had been when he was confronted with Levac however long ago it was.

"Hello...?" Bailey greeted in more of a questioning tone than a statement. Uncertainty gnawed at his brain and his chest throbbed with the fact that he was in unfamiliar territory. He somewhat knew where he was, given the fact he snuck onto the military base before, but it was just so different. He never dared to sneak inside and would rather watch Levac outside in the courtyard doing his daily exercises. He knew the order by heart.

_Strike, strike, uppercut, slash. Uppercut, side, pivot, and slash._

"How are you feeling?" The surprisingly calm and chirpy General asked. Her feathery tail was swaying rhythmically behind her, careful to not hit any equipment in the medical center.

"I'm- uh.." Bailey hesitated. He wasn't sure why he felt so nervous all of a sudden, the familiar feeling of uncertainty beginning to return. "Alright. I'm doing alright." He managed to sputter out, ignoring the fur along his arms that instinctively pricked up. His crystalline tail was hidden beneath the covers that had been thrown over him upon his arrival, the appendage awkwardly curling around his body. The material was surprisingly soft to the touch so it wasn't uncomfortable when the crystalline brushed against any part of his body.

"A nervous one, aren't you?" General Irri chuckled, acknowledging the somewhat uneasy and perplexed expression Bailey gave her. "You don't need to be so nervous! I'm not going to bite. Levac, on the other hand, probably would." She chuckled again, easing the tension between the two. Bailey immediately had perked up towards the mention of Levac. It was so instinctive that he didn't even notice he had done it.

There was never a moment of silence that lasted a while. With General Irri's bubbly personality, Bailey didn't feel uneasy while he was in this position. The General merely pulled over a chair to sit by the bed, her bright eyes shimmering with otherworldly friendliness that Bailey was mildly surprised about. "Well, I never introduced myself! My bad. The name's Irri. General Irri. You said you were Bailey, yeah? That's a sweet name."

Bailey felt the blood rushing to his face from the compliment. General Irri was.. complimenting him? He could hardly believe it. He knew of the General of course, and with him having stalked Levac as much as he did just to admire him from afar, it was hard _not_ to know who she was. It was a given. This woman was the only one Levac opened up to and trusted. The only one who the mute willingly hung around.

"Thank you..." Bailey finally replied once he found the right words that didn't make him look like a complete idiot. Although, at this point, after having passed out in front of his idol, he already was an idiot. He mentally scolded himself before offering the General a smile. "That's very nice of you to say, ma'am."

"Please, just call me Irri. I'm not the kind of gal who likes formalities as much." Irri laughed, a breathy but joyful sound. She was somewhat flapping her hand beside her in the air, hitting nothing in particular. How peculiar.

"Okay ma- Irri. It's uh.. a pleasure to meet you." Bailey stated, trying his best not to pass out again. He felt his head swimming in a familiar yet different way compared to when Levac had leaned so closely to his face however long ago it was. He had no recollection of the events that happened afterwards but he could only assume they brought him here. At least, he assumed Irri did. The way Levac had stared so menacingly at him was burrowed into his brain; the look neither that of hatred or fondness, but of a chilling numbness that portrayed nothing in particular. His unblinking stare was so foreign and familiar at the same time that it just _hurt_.

"Are you sure that you're alright?" Irri asked after a moment, her pointy ears covered in fur faintly twitching towards Bailey's expression. She observed him closely, clearly experienced in the art of observation since she had to basically guess what Levac was thinking most of the time. Nothing was able to go unnoticed with her sharp eye, and Bailey knew that a little too well despite having just officially met her.

"Just a little dizzy. That's all." Bailey replied after a moment of hesitation. His chest grew warm and his heart fluttered from the nervousness he felt. No, he wasn't fine. His thoughts were brought back to the mysterious menace that was Levac. He couldn't distance his mind from Levac's intimidating glare, and it wasn't that he was scared of the dragon. No, that wasn't it. He was captivated by the intensity and how his eyes of sheer, menacing daggers had cut through his very soul. There had been something there, a certain familiarity to Bailey that he recalled from years ago. That same stare was present in his dreams and in his thoughts, and his admiration for it had grown substantially over the years. His tail lightly thumped against the bed and beneath the covers during his thought process. He hardly noticed. 

General Irri fixated her fond gaze upon him. She knew that Bailey was thinking of something unknown to her but she didn't press on despite wanting to. She knew how important secrets were and after all, she just met the canine. She didn't expect him to trust her so quickly, although she was pleasantly surprised when Bailey didn't seem as nervous now. "Bailey?" She questioned, pausing for a brief moment. When the lupine beast cocked his head to the side in acknowledgement to her saying his name, she continued. "Might I ask a few questions?"

"Uh.. sure." Bailey hesitantly agreed. He felt a chill run down his spine from his settling unease towards what Irri said. It didn't last long due to the General's soothing and gentle expression. There was something about her that just felt so motherly.

"Why did you come here?" Irri questioned calmly. Her claw tapped against her leg and the leg itself was jumping up and down for it was clear she wasn't quite able to stay still for long or at all. 

Bailey hesitated greatly. What was he meant to say? Was he meant to say that he came here, stalking Levac because he loved the silent monster and was his top-tier fan? Was he meant to say he wanted to get close to Levac to take pictures of how cool and badass he appeared during training? He didn't notice when Irri had leaned against the back of her chair, expectant, but relaxed. She wasn't pressuring him. What kind of General was this?

"I... wanted to get to know Levac more." Bailey quietly answered, careful with his words. He felt heat rush to his face from just saying Levac's enticing name and his heart gave a little flutter when he continued. "He's a hero. I... adored him when I- well.."

"When?" Irri gently pressed on the subject, her eyes glimmering with faint curiosity and interest towards the strange pink canine.

"When I first laid- eyes on him. He was so strong- capable... and I admired him." Bailey responded, stammering and tripping on his words during his minor panic. He rubbed his arm that was covered partially by both his sleeve and blanket. At least the blanket was warm.

"Is that all?" Irri asked calmly, now somewhat tapping her claws against the marble below her, causing faint tapping sound. When Bailey nodded in response and had nothing else to mention, the General smiled warmly. It was a toothy smile but a friendly one nevertheless. After a moment, her expression somewhat darkened, a sheet of shadows eventually casted over her eyes rather abruptly. She still had her smile planted on her visage but there was a hint of urgency in her expression and across her countenance. 

Various moments of awkward silence passed by, the only sound emanating in the area were Irri's claws tapping against the marble flooring and the talking from other regions of the medical center. This was the first time that an awkward silence had befallen upon the two bipedal creatures.

"How did you sneak in?" Irri abruptly asked, her smile faltering. She was trying so hard to keep her friendly persona and look unintimidating towards the younger man. She tapped her tail quietly against the chair she was sitting on, making a soft _thump, thump, thump_ sound. Bailey didn't really notice the sounds, his mind currently elsewhere. Irri watched as nervousness spread across Bailey's face in a dark sheen, clouding his beautifully colored magenta-pink eyes. He wasn't sure what to say and Irri knew that from the single, utmost look of uncertainty and _fear_. 

"Snuck in." Bailey slowly replied, his voice tremendously shaky that Irri felt bad for the poor lad. He hugged his arms over his chest and hoodie and he quietly glanced away. His body was positioned in a way where his back faced Irri now, and the lotus symbol on the back of his hoodie was more apparent and obvious. Irri didn't question it due to it being a change of topic, although she could've sworn she saw that symbol somewhere. She wasn't sure where.

"How did you bypass security? This is a military base, not a playground." General Irri questioned, leaning forward in her seat. She probably would've looked intimidating had her involuntary twitches and flaps of her hand was stationary, but she couldn't control it. 

"I-I'm not.. I don't know." He admitted, flattening his pointed ears against his skull, the fur blending with another from the pathetic-looking expression he had decorating his countenance. "I- Levac. I saw Levac and- wanted to see... him. I memorized the- guards. Their routes. Worked... around that." 

General Irri slowly nodded from Bailey's reply. "Color me impressed." She responded with a weirdly sweet smile, the dark sheen that had glossed over her eyes vanishing in an instant. Bailey had faced her by now, his ears perked attentively towards the General, dumbfounded. Did he just hear what he thought he did? Irri- a _General_ \- had stated that she was impressed with him for sneaking into her _base_. He had thought that her friendly façade would've faltered and her probable true colors would've shone through and casted a shadow of fear and doubt, albeit that didn't happen. Instead, she had complimented him. He hadn't expected such a laidback reaction like that from anyone, and now that he observed her face and simple physical ticks like her hand flaps, she just looked like a friend. Someone he wanted to get to know better. Someone in a dark time that was able to cast away the threatening, impending darkness that was inevitable. There was no hatred or mockery hidden behind her expression casted over her narrow face, and for a brief moment, he felt safe being in the vicinity of this woman. 

"Impressed... me? I-I mean... You're impressed with me?" Bailey stammered. He blinked at her with incredulity and his crystalline tail was anxiously tapping against the part of the bed beside him, under the blanket. He was awestruck and dumbfounded and anything in between. His eyes of light pink were widened with that same familiar feeling of incredulity, disbelief shrouding his expression. Irri laughed at his expression, a breathy but charming sound. 

"I would have to perform a background check on you to make sure you're not a spy," Irri began simply, her eyes glistening with deepening amusement, "but yes. I am impressed. You bypassed security protocols and my guards- even myself! If you're just a civilian, I'll be even more impressed in you, kid." The General laughed, flashing her friendly grin. Her teeth were as white as pearls and her well-kempt fur swayed when she performed her self-stimulatory behaviors. Bailey had gotten used to them already because her expression just screamed friendliness that he could've seen from a mile away.

"A spy?" Bailey questioned with a twitch of his pointed ear. "I don't think- would be- cut out..." He stammered, his paw awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous habit. "I-I mean... I don't think I would be cut out for any kind of field work like that." He said, quickly fixing up his previous attempts at speaking the basic language. 

"That's debatable." General Irri purred, the soft sound reverberating in the back of her throat. Her hand twitched at her side and her clawed foot proceeded to tap against the marble ground, a soft clicking emanating from the simple action. "And besides, I want to know why you are so interested in my dear Levac. You snuck in for him, yeah?" 

"Your dear... Levac?" Bailey questioned. He didn't notice but his ears subtly flattened as though he assumed something and appeared disappointed.

"It's just a little nickname I call him." The General replied, her lengthy tail of feathers limply hung off the edge of her chair. Her pointed ears swiveled on their axis in curiosity towards Bailey's despondency. She hesitated for a moment when Bailey's expression became more crestfallen. Her ears perked in realization, the fur along them ruffling slightly from the abrupt movement. She spoke when Bailey offered her a confused glance towards her revelation, "Oh! You think I'm dating him, don't you?"

Bailey hesitated, greatly embarrassed that she had been able to so effortlessly guess what was on his mind. He shifted slightly and nodded. "Y-Yeah. You aren't?"

"No, no. As much as I care about him, I wouldn't date him." She laughed boisterously, a loud sound that quickly got the attention of the medics scattered around the room. She paid them no mind and continued to laugh, partially oblivious towards Bailey's somewhat concerned expression towards her laughter. When she remotely calmed down, she wiped at her eye with a single claw to rid of a threatening tear. "Dear, that was such a bold assumption. Never assume. It doesn't get you places, kid." 

"Sorry." Bailey murmured, proceeding to chuckle faintly due to Irri's laughter. The laughter was so weirdly contagious. "From how you- uh, talk... about him. I just assumed."

"It's alright!" The General assured him, causing Bailey to flinch when she placed a hand on his shoulder. Her claws, despite being sharp, were small and beautifully painted an enchanting velvet. She offered her charming, gentle smile that allowed Bailey to relax with her hand on his shoulder. 

They sat there like that for what seemed like hours, just talking to one another about anything and nothing, everything and little things. Bailey was no longer nervous around the General- it was hard to feel any negative or awkward emotions around her. Bailey was captivated by Irri's beautiful, pearly smile, and he found himself smiling despite himself. He didn't realize his crystalline tail of rosy-red , pink and magenta was wagging beneath the covers, shuffling the blankets in the slightest in the process. Whenever she laughed, he mimicked her quietly, her calm and gentle persona completely relaxing the canine and allowed him to finally feel like himself. Around Levac, he had been so nervous to the point he had passed out when he got too close. And yet, with Irri, he felt the calmest he's ever been.

"I wonder where Levac is." Irri eventually stated after their conversation about the Dragonborn. "He went to go finish some certain matters earlier. He should be back by now."

Before Bailey could respond to the General, and as if on command, the looming shadow of a certain black dragon stood outside of the doorframe. His broad body was shrouded in darkness, the ribbons of elegant wickedness of the shadowy blackness coiling around his arms. His clothing, trimmed in gold to complement the dark physical appearance, wisped with the blackness that was Levac's proper magic. However, the moment he stepped into the brightly lit room, the shadows dispersed and dissipated, vanishing without a trace as if it was completely vanquished. His eyes of sharp brown fixated upon Bailey in complete silence, observing the canine's suddenly anxious and nervous expression. His tail of black and blue feathers swayed languidly behind him as he made his way over to the duo at Bailey's bed. He stopped short at the footboard, easily casting a looming shadow over Bailey's bed and brightly-colored body, darkening him.

Bailey didn't know what the General said to Levac in whatever greeting she had mustered, for he was so focused on the menacing beast of shadows that he was completely oblivious to anything else. It felt like time had come to a stand-still for the canine and his face felt incredibly hot, the feeling of familiarity clearly apparent and overwhelming. He was trembling but didn't notice, and despite himself, his tail was wagging vigorously behind him beneath his covers. He didn't realize Irri was trying to get his attention.

It felt too real, too familiar, for him to ignore Levac. He knew this dragon from those years ago and he had yet to decide if he loved that or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that the chapter is shorter than the first one. The next chapter surely will make up for it! I have so many plans for it. Love y'all!


	3. A Flash from the Past to Remembrance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deemed as a traitor, Bailey was forced to flee from the family he had grown to love and adore. During his escape, he finally officially met someone who he didn't realize until later would save his life. No wonder the two Dragonborns had been familiar to Bailey and no wonder the two Dragonborns partially remembered Bailey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this long chapter that took me quite a few days to write.  
> Also the parts divided by "------" are little time-skips to the future to not draw out some scenes for too long.

_Bailey sprinted across the rugged pathways of the town, tripping over cracks and curbs ceaselessly. What little muscles he had rippled beneath his fur and skin, helping him traverse the run-down landscape. His torn jacket hugged his slim torso, his left side mostly exposed due to the fabric having been shredded by what seemed to be claws. His kunzite crystalline tail lashed behind him while his claws scuffed up the jagged rubble beneath him. Droplets of blood followed after him as his paws led him to wherever they wanted. His pounding head made it impossible to concentrate, causing his ears to ring endlessly within his mind._

_The lupine beast panted, his scratched up paws eventually skidding on the dusty-old pavement. He slid to a halt to catch his breath, the throbbing pain in his paw pads coursed through his body. His eyes of light pink flickered with fear and uncertainty as there was no other soul in sight. He had been running and he knew from what, but when he glanced behind him, all he saw was the sanguine decorating the cracked road from his scratched up paws. He didn't know how long he had been running from the Lotus Kids but it felt like days and probably was. He had lost all construct of time, and even though the name of the gang wasn't as threatening as others he had heard about, he was terrified. Terrified for his own life. He was bleeding and had to keep traversing the grounds ceaselessly on bleeding paws that were sure to become infected if not treated._

_The sun hung low in the sky, casting an ominous glow upon the abandoned run-down town Bailey found himself in. The light wasn't warm whatsoever, a lingering chill instead overshadowing the land and causing Bailey to shiver. He brought a paw to his head, unbothered by the dirt and grime that covered his paw in a sheet of coating. The lotus symbol on the back of his torn and dirty jacket was basically covered in grime, the dust giving the design a faded appearance._

_There was a familiarity to the feeling of fear, a thin rope that threatens to snap and throw Bailey off of the edge of the cliff he was trying to climb. His blood a trickle of thick water, soaked up by the thirsty ground in the cold atmosphere. He felt cold, too, but in a way that the atmosphere couldn't cause on its own. His heartfelt cold, a weird chill of ice that bit at his innards despite the panting heat that flushed his furry face. He was a mixture of that same hot and cold; the heat external from his fleeing, the cold internal. He no longer felt the boiling fuel of anger towards the betrayal of the ones he once called family and the mark on his jacket was a lie. There was no peace in the lotus symbol; no purity, just the impurity of a world that Bailey had been forced to leave behind. Each petal on his lotus surely would've fallen by now, taken over by the overseeing sheen of doubt that clouded Bailey's mind. Fear was there, too, intermingling with the doubt like two partners in dance._

_His mind was a festering nightmare of fright and pain, threatening to drown him in a sea of black. He let out a strangled sound verbally as he panted, hurrying forward again in hopes to avoid his pursuers. He couldn't see them but he knew they were out there, somewhere, waiting, ready to strike him in the cold of the biting atmosphere. His paws trudged on and his tail was just barely lifted above the cracked ground. His body slipped between two buildings in a somewhat large alleyway, his magenta and pink fur no longer pristine and perfect. He was dirtied beyond comprehension, the thought of escape unfathomable. He knew this bit of rest was going to be short-lived, and when he realized that, he slid himself down onto the dusty ground below him. His kunzite tail was the only thing somewhat recognizable, the faint reflection of light noticeable whenever sun touched the crystalline. And yet, while he hid between two ruined walls touched by the realm of destruction that was erosion, he was shrouded in blackness._

_He trembled, not from cold or fear, but against his own accord. He was a lost puppy trying to find his way back to a home that he never knew he lost, the biting realization that he was alone struck him. There was not a soul here, not in this lonely town, besides him. He hugged his sides with his paws, his claws gripping his fur darkened in thick blood of purple. He was never known to cry; it was always a feeling he knew of but never did. His eyes never watered and no tears threatened to streak down his face. Despite the sheer agony he was in, his tears ran dry, and his eyes of pink just were tightly closed in his attempts at blocking out the painful realization that he was sure to die out here. Nobody would search for him- the only ones that even remotely cared about him had turned their backs to him with their blades brandished. There was no warmth in those hungry eyes._

_There is a sense of purity attached to a flower; the petals of life growing from the core. And yet, there is an impurity in its design, a flaw of withering and wilt that is sure to follow in suit after life is slowly stripped away. That impurity can be seen within Bailey as well, his heart aching from mistreatment, pain, and sheer betrayal he had experienced. And yet, no tears were formed, just breathy inhales and exhales in his attempts at slowing his breath. A simple breeze could give him away but the dust and dirt masked his scent beyond comprehension; his brightly colored fur darkened by his blood-stained mistakes that gathered upon his body. ___

____

____

_There was a gunshot that split the air like scissors to paper, the sound echoing across the forbidden land of silence. There was another. Wood and bits of ruined stone splintered beside Bailey's head and he let out a yelp of consternation. He brought his arms over his head instinctively, shielding himself from the bits of debris before lifting his gaze fearfully. Figures cloaked in darkness surrounded him from both sides and directly in front of him, their menacing glare causing Bailey to press his sore back against the mostly-ruined wall behind him._

_One of the figures slowly stalked forward on quiet hooves, the only sound emitting from him were soft taps of the keratin against the dusty ground. His imposing antlers were apparent; jutting out of his skull like impressive stalks. His face was narrow and extended out quite a bit, the brown of his fur was faded more into a white around his eyes and face. He wore a similar jacket that Bailey did, although his hoodie was red and was marked with a black lotus on his back. He cocked a pistol, the sound sending violent shivers of fear and silent internal anguish within Bailey._

_"Well," the stag began, "you thought you could escape, hm?" There was a moment of silence when the stag stopped before Bailey, his pistol drawn in his non-hoof paw. He pressed the barrel against Bailey's forehead when he was close enough, unbothered by the canine's trembling. The pistol's barrel was radiating a small feeling of warmth. It had been fired before._

_"What-" Bailey's words trembled during his inability to formulate an appropriate sentence. "What... do you want, Cread?" His voice broke when he attempted to speak Cread's name, merely allowing it to come out in a forced wheezed. He trembled, especially as a much taller and broader figure stepped beside Cread, towering over him._

_Cread paid Bailey no mind for he was not one for monologue. His stare pierced through Bailey before the gun's bullets surely will, his eyes a sharp red which were a deep contrast to his brown and white fur. He kept the warm barrel of the gun pressed against the canine's forehead, leaving a forced indent in Bailey's once-pristine and perfect fur. The stag faced the beast that rose to his side, meeting the intimidatingly silent brown gaze of the bipedal dragon second-in-command. "Levac, would you like to do the honors of shooting the traitor?" He asked, aware of the wary eyes of his clan staring them both down. He knew how many feared Levac and the dragon was surely a formidable ally he was glad was on their side._

_Levac stared down at the cowering Bailey, taking in his pathetically scrawny form that was pressed against the wall, not daring to move in case Cread fired. Shadows danced around his muscular arms like miniature ballets, the calming madness festering and swarming beyond comprehension. His black fur, coated in dark gray around his snout and down his chest where the coloration was no longer visible due to his hoodie, complemented his deep predatory brown eyes. His long tail swayed behind him, the appendage aligned with black and blue feathers that ruffled whenever he moved his tail just a little. His overbite allowed two individual fangs to hug the top of his bottom lip, the red-stained teeth pressing closely against fur and skin. He quietly watched Cread peer over at him expectantly._

_The bipedal dragon slowly accepted the pistol Cread had taken from pointing at Bailey's forehead. He positioned the pistol in his right claw, his talon delicately fiddling with the trigger. One shot, that's all it took. One shot and it was all over. He knew that. There would be no pain or anguish if done correctly, and if he did, then he wouldn't have to worry about anything._

_Other than guilt. Guilt was always there; always revealing impending agony that would fester within Levac if he were to take an innocent's life. His brows furrowed thoughtfully as he shifted the pistol in his claw constantly. The barrel had cooled off by now._

_"What are you waiting for?" Cread asked impatiently. The stag peered up at the much taller beast, standing at six feet and seven inches, expectantly. His ruby-red eyes narrowed subtly with uncertainty and unease towards Levac's silent, thoughtful gaze. "Shoot the bastard already!"_

_Levac slowly lifted his gaze towards Cread, as silent as ever. He said not a word but his eyes spoke virtues that words couldn't express on their own. His nostrils flared somewhat and he took in the fresh scent of blood that radiated from the terrified Bailey. He could smell the fear, too, emitting from the short and thin canine at their feet. He lifted the pistol with finality, pointing it at Bailey for a lengthy moment. His arm was steady with years of experience, his elbow just barely bent to prevent the recoil that was sure to follow, even if the recoil was slight due to the size of the gun. He could see the excitement beaming in Cread's eyes of rubies, shining like gemstones beneath a light that pronounced the colorations of the valuables._

_There was a singular gunshot that followed after the intense moment._

_Bailey had been so sure he would've been dead, but to his surprise, Levac hadn't fired at him. He opened his eyes towards the sound of screaming coming from the person Levac shot, and to his surprise, Cread had fallen to the ground. The bullet lodged directly into his kneecap, shattering bone layers upon contact and causing his leg to buckle beneath him with its inability to support his grand weight. He was unable to process anything that happened, even as Levac scooped him up into his much stronger arms to run away from the scene._

_Some of the members of the Lotus Kids had gathered around Cread in rightful concern and fear; some tried to tend to his wound while others propped him up. The ones who weren't helping had sprinted from the scene as well, guns drawn and firing towards the previous second-in-command and the traitor. Bullets ricocheted from splintered wood and ruined stone, catching Levac's shoulder and instantly slicing a thin layer of skin and fur from the slight impact. Levac made some kind of hissing sound at the faint pain that followed but he kept running with Bailey held in one arm now. He didn't seem to mind when Bailey leaned against his muscular chest, his trembling body a sharp contrast to Levac's stable and strong anatomy._

_Levac used his unoccupied claw to pull out an earpiece he had shoved unceremoniously into his pocket, quickly attaching it to his external ear through its specifically designed suction that stuck to the side of his head. He perked towards the voice that emitted from the earpiece almost immediately, the familiarity of the voice comforting to hear while he was being shot at._

_"Levac! Buddy! I haven't heard from you in_ weeks! _Where are you?" The voice exclaimed, the happy tone quickly fading when the masculine creature heard the firing of guns. "What's happening? Are you okay?"_

_Levac didn't answer right away. His knees bent during his full-on sprint and, all at once with Bailey in his one arm, he leaped upwards. His unoccupied claw scraped the roof tiles and shingles along the edge of the partially ruined roof when he pulled himself up onto it. He ignored Bailey's yelp of surprise and alarm when he hoisted them both onto the roof, allowing him to effortlessly run above the gang members that pursued them. He hopped from one run-down roof to another, using his unoccupied claw to lightly tap the button on the side of his earpiece. He said not a word, drawing out certain beeps and performing quicker patterns in the special code._

_"Oh! Alright. On my way." The cheery voice responded towards the Morse Code, the thrumming of helicopter blades soon reverberating throughout the land soon became apparent rather quickly. The source, a military helicopter dressed in inconspicuous dark green and lighter green, rose from the camouflage of houses as though the pilot had been waiting there for absolute ages. The blades sliced through the air with ease as the doors to the flying vehicle was quickly opened upon the helicopter, including its mounted minigun, being visible._

_Bailey held onto Levac tightly, his hand gripping the dragon's hoodie fearfully and in quiet agony from the movement causing some of his wounds to open up further. There was no time to stop, especially as Levac quickened his sprinting to try and outrun the gang that followed them from below. Bailey could feel Levac's muscles tense when he leaped from the last tile on the house, his unoccupied claw snagging the edge of the helicopter's flooring now that the doors were open. He held Bailey with one claw and hung there briefly, struggling to pull both of them into the helicopter with his partially injured shoulder causing him troubles._

_Levac gritted his teeth forcefully but perked when the pilot of the vehicle set the helicopter on autopilot with ease, the creature stepping out of the cockpit to assist the passengers. He seized Levac's wrist and pulled the strong beast into the hovering vehicle, aiding Levac in dragging Bailey into it as well._

_The tall bird creature clicked his beak together as he watched Levac and Bailey both quietly pant on the ground, his head perking towards the sounds of gunshots pelting against the helicopter's side. He closed the sliding doors and quickly pivoted on his sharp talons, his white-and-black feathers ruffling from the movement. His eyes of hazel flickered with calmness even as the helicopter experienced a rain of bullets ricocheting off of its surface. He quickly made his way back to the cockpit and shifted his arms, decorated in feathers that made up his superior wings and sat at the pilot's seat. He had some missing feathers along his left arm, presumably from some kind of fire given the fact that the feathers that remained appeared charred, but despite the past injury, his voice rang throughout the helicopter cheerfully._

_"Hello! I'm Curu Relme but you can just call me Ru." The pilot chirped, his head feathers fluttering with glee. The helicopter began flying forward, avoiding the bullets that somewhat dented the strong material making up the vehicle. "I'm your Uber flier today. Please sit back and relax and enjoy the ride. Don't forget to buckle up!"_

__

__

_Levac rolled his brown eyes in faint amusement towards him and rose to his feet, having to awkwardly duck in the slightest so that he can reside in one of the passenger seats. He didn't say anything, instead turning to his side where an emergency medical kit resided along the wall. His brows furrowed and he peered over at Bailey when the canine had to basically force himself to stand so that he could sit comfortably on one of the seats, soon buckling up._

_Levac took the kit and opened it, his hand gripping the disinfectants and the cotton swabs. His eyes fixated upon the dirty canine when he slowly shifted from his seat, quickly taking in account the silent agony and nervousness in Bailey's expression. He knelt down in front of Bailey to be more at eye level._

_"Thank... you." Bailey managed to sputter, his entire body trembling from the events that led up to them riding in a military helicopter. He gazed down at the ground and off to the side so he didn't look Levac in the eyes, nervousness quickly apparent in his expression. "You're... in- military?" He stuttered, quickly having to fix what he said. "The! In the military. You're in it?"_

_Levac merely nodded in response, his brown eyes narrowing thoughtfully. He gestured at Bailey's torn and bloodied hoodie and the equally as torn shirt he bore beneath it. He said not a word, his palm facing the ceiling of the helicopter when he gestured._

_"Can... you- talk?" Bailey quietly stammered, staring at him uncertainly. "I never tried.. talking to you. In- gang. In the gang."_

_"My pal Levac here doesn't talk. Even I'm unsure if he even can talk or is just selectively mute." Curu chirped, the sound soft and calm as he piloted the helicopter up at the cockpit. "He talks in sign. If you understand that, then you should be fine!"_

_"I don't... Sign? I never tried... learning." Bailey nervously said, quietly inspecting the dragon that looked on expectantly._

_"Oh, that's too bad. Maybe someday I can teach you! I know quite a few languages since I fly to a lot of places." Curu stated proudly, lifting his head and clicking his beak together._

_"What kind of languages do you know?" Bailey questioned, his eyes befalling upon Levac again. He winced when Levac pressed a cotton swab against his wound along his side while coated in disinfectant. He seemed to have given up trying to gesture to Bailey about whatever it was he wanted, instead deciding to tend to the wound._

_"Sign, for one." Curu said, peering out of the window as they passed over a grassy landscape, safely away from the Lotus Kids and their guns. "I also know English, of course. German, different forms of Spanish, and basic French and Russian. I'm still learning the latter two. Russian's hard."_

_"Wow..." Bailey found himself whispering, wincing again when Levac pressed the cotton swab silently against his wound. It soaked up a lot of the fresh and dried blood, some of the crust that formed was also wiped away by the swab. "You know a lot of languages."_

_"I kind of have to." Curu replied, his hazel eyes scanning the terrain ahead of them. "In the military, pilots that know multiple languages are recommended and well-liked among the forces. There are times where pilots are assigned partners that know different languages, such as Levac and sign, and there are also times we have to fly out to foreign places. In those foreign places, we may have to talk to the natives. You can't necessarily do that without knowing the native language, of course." Levac's personal pilot stated, his hands tipped with talons gripping the cyclic stick. He pushed the control stick forward, the beating of the helicopter blades constantly heard from the outside._

_"That's... impressive." Bailey said in his attempts at being friendly with one of the two men that saved his life. He couldn't stop staring at Levac as the dragon worked on cleaning his side and he sighed, thankful his paws could rest without him having to be on them. "I would like that if you taught me sign." He declared after a moment, finally taking into consideration about Curu's previous offer._

_"It would be my honor!" Curu chirped, adjusting some of his knobs and nozzles that Bailey didn't understand what they were for. "You'll learn it in no time, I promise. Tat's a promise I can definitely keep!"_

_"Thank you." Bailey replied, mildly tremulous after what had happened. His kunzite tail remarkably shone despite the dust and dirt faintly clouding its pristine surface, the appendage faintly wagging whenever Levac touched his wound. He was unable to control it and didn't bother to attempt to do so, instead he decided to speak to the Dragonborn. "You wanted me to do something earlier... right?"_

_Levac nodded. He lifted his brown eyes to meet Bailey's pink gaze, and for a moment, he held the gaze. His face was impassive, lacking in any form of emotion that Bailey could identify. His eyes were enchanting, captivating the canine instantly within their intense stare. He finally lowered his gaze towards his own shirt, his unoccupied hand lightly beginning to fidget his shirt for emphasis. He lifted his gaze to Bailey again, lightly tugging the edge of his shirt._

_"My... hoodie? And shirt?" Bailey questioned, his head slightly tilting in confusion._

_"He wants you to take off your top clothing." Curu abruptly chirped as he piloted his vehicle, the helicopter lightly swerving as he partially changed direction._

_"W-What?" Bailey abruptly sputtered, feeling heat rise to his fluffy prolonged face. He inspected Levac's impassive stare, unsure about what the dragon was thinking during this exchange. "How do you know?"_

_"I've worked with Levac for years, mate." Curu hummed casually, his tail feathers ruffling slightly in amusement. "And besides, you have a wound on your torso, yes? It'd be easier if Levac could see it without your shirt and hoodie." For a moment, he hesitated, his avian face thoughtful. "What were you even thinking when I told you what Levac wanted? Your voice completely broke."_

_Bailey silently cursed Curu's ability to quickly pick up on the change of his tone. He flattened his ears in embarrassment and didn't answer right away, instead gripping his torn and bloodied hoodie in his paws. He pulled it over his head with a bit of difficulty due to the pain throbbing in his side, his shirt soon following. He sat the two articles of clothing aside and revealed his not-as-dirty chest of half pink and magenta fur that was split unevenly down the center of his unmuscular torso. He sighed as Levac continued to tend to his wound, heat continuing to flush in his face in embarrassment and anxiety. "I don't know. It just caught me off-guard."_

_Levac didn't do much other than tend to Bailey's wound. Whenever he finished cleaning it, the cotton swabs he used were completely stained purple with the canine's abnormal blood. It smelled like grapes to the Dragonborn- what a weird smell. His nostrils flared towards the scent but were otherwise unbothered by it when he took out a roll of bandages from the kit he had. He pressed it firmly against Bailey's side, the physical touch causing Bailey's entire body to shiver as if it was from silent anticipation. The canine forced himself to stay still as Levac wrapped the fresh bandages around his torso, covering the wound firmly. When the Dragonborn clipped the bandages together so it didn't come undone, Bailey relaxed his tensed muscles._

_Levac's nostrils flared towards the strange grape-scented blood that coated the canine's paws as well and he cleaned the droplets from them, too. Bailey tensed again but he paid him no mind, eventually wrapping his feet just as he had done to his torso. He was quicker this time, the paws merely scratched up from the rubble and debris Bailey had traversed across on his run. Upon finishing, he closed the kit with the materials he didn't use, then reattached it to the helicopter's interior wall. He resided against his chair and buckled himself up ever-so-casually, his brown eyes merely focusing on the window as he watched the land below them pass by._

_Bailey stared at the menacingly mysterious dragon, curiosity springing to his eyes. He wiggled his toes faintly to get used to the bandages wrapped around them. "Thank... you." He managed to whisper despite the anxiety arising in his burning chest, his stomach fluttering. He was probably airsick from the fact this was his first helicopter ride, and they also had to run from the Lotus Kids. Jumping into the helicopter was a rush and that also made him sick from the abrupt movements and almost falling, had it not been for the friendly pilot pulling them both up with surprising strength. He sighed softly, watching Levac's expression shift from impassiveness to thoughtfulness. "Thinking of something?"_

_Levac blinked himself back into reality, his brown eyes flickering towards the scrawny canine. His feathered tail hung limply over the side of his passenger seat, the blue feathers somewhat brushed against the helicopter's ground. He stared at Bailey, almost expectantly, time seeming to slow from Levac's intense stare captivating the canine and imprisoning him. The Dragonborn was silent as always and Bailey had expected the silence but had tried talking to him anyway. Finally, he nodded in response to the pink lupine beast's question._

_Knowing Levac will only answer 'yes or no' questions, Bailey continued to ask him nonsense. "You were an undercover spy this entire time?"_

_Levac merely nodded again, the silence awfully deafening despite the irony. The dragon refused to show much expression within his impassive expression, his muscles hardly moving in their tensed position. Even his tail remained stationary, the feathers hardly ruffling._

_"He's been on that mission for more than a month!" Curu found himself exclaiming towards his passengers, his voice was as cheery as ever. "He always gave me updates about his climb in ranks. When he got the rank as second-in-command, he suddenly went silent. We had no contact for weeks and I was starting to get worried. I thought about getting a search-and-rescue party prepared." The pilot admitted with a faintly noticeable shrug. "I knew Levac, though. He always had a plan. I just was worried about my pal. He's strong- resilient! If anyone could've pulled this off, it's him."_

_Bailey listened to Curu talk about Levac's adventures, including the undercover mission with the Lotus Kids. There was a separate and irrelevant time where Levac and Curu had to fly to the mountains to take down an enemy's base with an explosions expert named Klena or something of the sort. They had left nothing but rubble in their wake and Bailey admitted that Klena sounded pretty cool. She was some kind of lizard, a bearded dragon to be exact, with tough scales and rugged spines that protected her from her own devices._

_"Oh! Oh! Klena has a crush on Levac." The pilot laughed abruptly, his chirps as friendly and perky as ever. In response to Levac's sigh of mild irritation towards the mention of Klena, the anthro bird continued. "She always looks forward to her adventures with Levac. She's quite flirty, too. For Levac's taste, she's a little too flirty."_

_Bailey found himself quietly chuckling towards what Curu said, his crystalline tail lightly beginning to tap against the side of his seat. He stammered quietly as though nervous. "What kind- flirts have she said to Levac?"_

_"She once said to Levac," Curu began despite Levac's reoccurring sigh of irritation, "'my life would be better if you were in it with me.'" The pilot found himself snickering when he quoted Klena. "Levac merely walked away. My pal's a savage. Didn't bother to stick around!"_

_Bailey found himself laughing and having a friendly chat with Curu during their ride. Levac didn't participate which was to be expected, instead he just looked out of the window. They were almost home._

_\----------------------------------_

_The helicopter slowly landed on the helipad, the blades that sliced the air thrumming heavily. The blades began to slow, the military base in sight. It wasn't anything grand, just a collection of buildings for different matters and jobs around the main building. The main building was much larger than the others, also connected to the courtyard where trainees were currently with their personal trainers to ready them for combat. Bailey found himself to be impressed and awestruck as he looked out of the window towards the base. There were lots of smaller buildings, probably houses for those who didn't want to live in the base itself. There were some civilians who were granted permission to live near such a top-secret base, although he didn't understand why they were granted such privileges._

_Levac had unbuckled by the time the helicopter had landed, already to his feet. His claw was loosely hanging onto the small handle attached to the ceiling of the vehicle, his nostrils faintly flaring towards the lingering grape smell in the air. He rolled out his shoulder, the one that had been grazed by a bullet previously, the pain no longer relevant. It was a dull pain now, just a bit of torn fur and skin- nothing serious._

_"I hope you enjoyed our ride. Please go to our personal website TotallyNotClassified.org and rate Curu Relme five stars." The pilot chuckled, flicking some switches here and there to ensure the helicopter was safe to leave. "Any feedback is greatly appreciated."_

_Levac couldn't help but smirk at his partner in clear amusement that caused Bailey to be dumbfounded. After the sliding door had opened, Levac stepped down onto the thick stone. His claws lightly tapped against the ground when he slowly spun to face his fellow passenger. He watched with his familiar impassive expression as Bailey struggled to rise to his own paws._

_The canine snatched his hoodie and shirt, both ruined by purple blood and were torn in multiple places, and attempted to make his way to the exit. He perked towards Levac's outstretched hand, his pointed ears faintly beginning to swivel when his tail began to wag in silent excitement. He placed his paw along Levac's palm and was able to feel the sharp contrast of muscles that his paw possessed. He winced slightly even as Levac helped him down and he instinctively leaned against the much larger beast, his paws and scrawny legs incredible sore from running for who-knows-how-long. His side throbbed from the movement and he knew the bandages were soaked with his blood at this point. Bailey was pleasantly surprised when Levac didn't push him away._

_Curu stepped out of his helicopter once the blades came to a humming stop and everything was set. His talons lightly dragged against the stone and his two, long feathers decorated in black and white colors were lifted behind him. They reminded Bailey of peacock feathers but were incredibly limited, given the fact Curu only had two long tail feathers and went without the extravagant colors a normal peacock had. He strode over to Levac and patted the dragon firmly on the shoulder that he surprisingly could reach despite the dragon's grand height. His feathers along that arm were burnt, some feathers completely missing as if they had been charred and destroyed from existence. Lingering burns decorated his arm and wrist, gliding along his feathers and to his palm. They seemed old._

_"Another job well-done, buddy!" Curu chirped and Bailey could've sworn Levac's hardened gaze softened towards the semi-peacock creature. "You really are amazing, ain'tcha? Going in there and kicking some quality tail! That's my Levac for ya!"_

_Levac almost seemed to smile, his lips peeled back in the slightest towards Curu's compliments and peppy attitude. It was difficult to dislike Curu and that surely could've been infuriating to some people that wanted to dislike the anthro bird. The way Curu chirped and complimented anyone, particularly Levac, was charming in an odd sense. His pleasing-to-look-at hazel eyes always sparkled with a feeling of geniality that Levac softened his hardened visage for. Just for him and Irri. So far, there was no one else that deserved his gentle expression._

_Bailey couldn't think properly as he leaned against Levac for support. He would've said something about rating Curu five stars since the pilot had saved their lives with such a grand escape, but being this close to his other hero made his heart flutter. Heat washed over his face and he just trembled faintly; even Bailey was unsure if the trembling came from pain or excitement in his internal struggle between consciousness and unconsciousness._

_Before Curu had a chance to compliment Levac further, he abruptly stumbled back towards a much smaller form of orange suddenly tackling him. He hardly budged from the impact but it had caught him so off-guard that his hazel eyes widened from it. He couldn't help but laugh when he realized who it was, instantly greeted by General Irri's friendly expression. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as the petite, albeit strong, General gazed up at him. She was too appealing for Curu to look away and his tail feathers began to sway behind him subtly despite himself. He admired her draconic narrow face of orange fur, a lighter orange splotch visible at the tip of her snout, and her fluffy hair of cream-color flowed down her back in a tidy ponytail. He lifted up his burnt arm and lightly patted her head, just in front of her somewhat small light orange horns and in between her two large ears. He clicked his yellow beak together in amusement as he met her golden eyes. "General Irri!"_

_"You're back!" The General exclaimed, her tone friendly towards the bird-creature. Levac stared at the duo gently and Bailey watched with his mouth somewhat hanging open as though he couldn't believe this small woman was a General. Irri continued, her lengthy tail coated in feathers wagging happily behind her. "I'm glad to see you're alright, Ru Ru. How was the mission? How did it go? I need a status report."_

_"We have some valuable information on the gang lingering around Evalor Ruins thanks to Levac." The peacock turned to face Bailey and Levac with a thoughtful expression. "Although, Levac was discovered. This lad here- Bailey was it? Yeah, I think it was." He chuckled faintly and shrugged his shoulders, causing some of the non-extravagant feathers of his to ruffle from the slight movement. "He was about to be killed by the gang but Levac saved him. Good on him. We were going to leave anyway since we discovered the gang aren't apart of any sort of special forces. They're their own group."_

_"Ah, at least we don't have to worry about a possible threat in the war." The petite General replied, turning on her heels to face the bandaged Bailey. Her eyes immediately softened towards his covered injuries and her golden eyes proved over his thin frame. "Oh, you poor thing! Levac, can you be a dear and take him to the medical center? I can take these." She said, reaching for Bailey's hoodie and jacket. When Bailey hesitated, she smiled warmly at the unfamiliar face, her face screaming hospitality. "Don't worry. I'll fix these up for you, dear." She gently took the articles of clothing when Bailey relented and gave her them._

_Irri eventually swept her paws over the ground in a swift, steady turn. "I'm going to sew these back up in a jiffy." She stated when she began to make her leave, heading back to her office. When she disappeared in the building, Curu sighed softly._

_"I'm going to check on my helicopter baby." Curu clicked his beak together when he spoke. "Those gang members gave her some punctures. I need to ensure she's not too badly damaged." Without acknowledging Bailey's questioning eyes towards how he described his helicopter, the peacock made his way back to his landed helicopter to observe the bullet punctures. He subtly and halfheartedly waved when Levac began to silently lead Bailey to the base._

\----------------------------------

_Bailey had admired the military base all the way to the medical center, where he resided atop a surprisingly comfortable bed. He was hooked to certain devices that gave him fluids that he very much needed and his torso was exposed to allow the medics to tend to his more severe wound. His paws had been rebandaged and more expertly cleaned now that they had no limitations to their access to medical equipment. The medics had told him that his wound wasn't too deep but had cut just enough for it to bleed for quite some time, especially at an abrupt movement, but luckily there'd be no scarring. Now Bailey merely laid on the bed with his torso rebandaged and, to his surprise, Levac was sitting a short distance away on a chair to watch over him. His hero was reading some kind of book but Bailey wasn't sure what it was about. Levac seemed fixated on it so it was probably a good book._

_Bailey stared up at the ceiling with a look of thoughtfulness in his eyes. He had been rescued by the most eared second-in-command of the Lotus Kids and yet, to his surprise, that Dragonborn was only there as a spy. He had been so sure that Levac was just as bad as Cread even though the dragon never talked or did anything devastating in front of Bailey. But when the canine had been at gunpoint, so sure he was going to die from a bullet to the head, Levac had saved him. He had saved a canine he didn't even know, despite them both being from the same gang. From what he had seen about Levac, the menace was a silent guy. He spoke not a word, his impassive expression was sharp enough to cut through anything it seemed, and he was tall. Very tall. That added to his intimidating stature and probably was one of may reasons why nobody ever tried to befriend the previous second-in-command._

_Bailey's eyes burned faintly. He didn't understand why but now that he had time to think, he wasn't sure what exactly he wanted to think about. His only family had abandoned him, that family also tried to kill him, and now he was stuck in bed for the time being in a military base. He had been so scared and felt so helpless; his life had flashed before his eyes multiple times during their escape and during his attempts at running from the Lotus Kids. Despite how scared he had been, he didn't cry. He wanted no tears and didn't want to seem like he was pathetic in front of the strong and attractive Levac. Although, he was snapped from his thought process when he heard the door to the brightly-lit medical center open._

_General Irri stepped into the room and used her tail to close the door behind her with a soft click. Her paws glided over the smooth floor of the room as she maneuvered past meandering medics, occasionally greeting some of them whenever they regarded her. She held a shirt and hoodie in her arms, neatly folded against her orange-furred arms, and she smiled towards Bailey. She also flashed Levac that same smile whenever he glanced up at her in acknowledgment, closing his book in the process._

_Irri pulled up another chair that was lingering off to the side. She sat beside Bailey's bed and smiled towards the canine when he sat upright, having to be careful with the IVs in his arms. "I fixed up your lovely clothes." Irri said, getting straight to the point. She sat the hoodie and shirt on her lap so she could flap her hand off to the side, although Bailey was too excited to notice the self-stimulatory behavior. "Your hoodie is really nice." She trailed her finger over the lotus symbol plastered to the back of the fabric, eventually handing the waiting canine both articles of clothing._

_Bailey grinned and allowed his kunzite tail to wag beneath the thick covers that had been laying on him to warm him and regular his temperature. "Thank you- Thank you so much." Bailey managed to whisper breathlessly. His eyes befell upon the lotus flower that had been designed to deem him as a Lotus Kid in the gang of misfits he had been forced to abandon. His claw lightly trailed over the symbol, tracing its delicate edges with a sense of longing clinging to his eyes and expression. His pointed ears flattened against his lupine skull and he emitted a low whimper._

_Despite his previous promise to not cry in front of Levac, the symbol of his once-caring and troublesome family caused memories to flood back to him. Warm tears trailed down his cheeks and soaked partially into his dual-colored fur and he trembled. He slipped one arm under the hoodie to pull it close to his bandaged chest, the feeling of pain and anguish causing his heart to burn. He didn't care that he was crying in front of his hero- the strong dragon that saved his very life. He wasn't pathetic, he knew, so the tears that flowed ceaselessly didn't particularly bother him this time._

_And yet, during his moment of remembrance, he hardly noticed when Irri wrapped her arms around him in a way to comfort him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My hands are officially dead. 7,000 words, baby! So worth it. I told you guys this chapter would hold a lot of content. I hope you all enjoyed the story and a bit of lore towards some of the characters, including the introduction of a new character. I love you all, my beautiful beans!


	4. Remembrance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levac stared with dumbfounded uncertainty towards Bailey's words, his brows furrowing and his eyes subtly widening. He was caught off-guard, a sense of faint glee and pride shining in his brown eyes towards the admiration Bailey very clearly showed him. He fidgeted with the notebook in his claw, clearly astonished and flabbergasted towards the praise. He finally began to write on a clean page, bringing ink to the paper after his moment of astonishment. 
> 
> “ _You admire me?_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this on iPad so please forgive any typos.
> 
> Characters by me  
> Story by me

Levac lingered at the footboard of the bed, his eyes fixated upon Bailey's smaller frame. His dark, looming shadow casted over most of the bed as his large frame blocked the light of the room from reaching the pink and magenta canine. He said not a word but Bailey could've sworn he saw a look of geniality within his expression for just a split second.

"Ah! Levac! We were just talking about you." General Irri purred. Bailey understood why she was so familiar- her smile and charm a fleeting memory from those years ago. He could tell Irri felt the same way with how she admired the jacket he wore and the lotus flower stretched across his back. "Has Curu come back from his mission yet?"

Levac nodded quietly towards Irri's question, and with a lash of his tail, he brought over a second chair to sit beside his General. He rested against the backing and allowed his feathered tail to droop over the side of the chair in his usual manner. Once he got situated, he faced Irri and was oblivious to Bailey's staring. " _Washing vehicle._ " Levac signed, his hands gesturing with the fluidity and grace of years of experience. Bailey knew not of what he was saying but he continued anyway since Irri clearly understood. " _Singing. Loud. Some love song._ "

"Sounds like Curu." Irri laughed and Bailey could've sworn there was a small blush that flushed to her cheeks. Her large ears swiveled on their axis and she flashed them her friendly smile. "Curu has a knack at singing. He's my little songbird."

"Your- songbird? Your little songbird?" Bailey managed to quietly stammer, trying his best to remain conscious despite how close Levac was to him. He caught Levac's gaze a few times and each time, heat flushed to his face in an instant. His kunzite tail vigorously wagged beneath the sheets that covered him, the warmth from the sheets growing a little too much for him due to his blush.

"Yes." General Irri softly whispered. She lifted a paw to her narrow face covered in warm orange fur and allowed her claw to lightly scratch at an incoming itch along her cheek. "I give nicknames to people quite a lot. He's a good singer. I like listening to his singing. It's... comforting. Especially after an important mission."

" _She loves him._ " Levac signed in an instant, amusement flickering in his normally impassive eyes. However, just as quickly as it appeared, it flickered into nonexistence.

"N-No! No I don't!" Irri immediately sputtered, nervously tugging a strand of her cream-colored hair. She hid her face with her large, fluffy ponytail and attempted to calm her tail that began to vigorously wag. "He has a nice voice! That's all."

"What did he say?" Bailey questioned but appeared disappointed when no one answered. Perhaps he'll take Curu's offer to learn sign. He hoped Curu didn't forget. It _has_ been a while.

"Curu is just amazing, alright?" Irri huffed towards Levac. The fur along her tail puffed out and she just looked even fluffier than she originally did, and Bailey had no idea how that was even possible. Even now, he still questioned how this woman was a General. She seemed too sweet, delightful, and tiny.

"I met Curu a while back," Bailey began with his gaze befalling upon Levac, "he seems like a good guy. Very... genuine."

"He is." Irri nodded quietly. Her gaze lowered to the ground thoughtfully and her tail slowed to a more rhythmic pacing in her wag. She wouldn't admit it but whenever she hugged the tall pilot, she felt safe. Every time she hugged him, she hoped she didn't make him uncomfortable. He was a friend and if she were to confess, she didn't want to lose whatever relationship she had with him. She knew Curu Relme was a good guy- she wouldn't love him if he was anything but great- but the lingering thought of doubt was ever-so-present in the back of her mind. It caused her to rub her arm during her thought process and her fur fluffed out slightly in unease at the realization that she could lose someone so lovely. So valuable in the arts of friendship. He was like a diamond in the rough, a sparkling gem within a pile of dirty coal. She wanted that diamond for herself because not only was it pretty on the outside, the inside was just as beautiful. "He's the sweetest thing. One of my best pilots, too. Old friend."

"How long have you known him? You two seem really.. close." Bailey asked, remembering the way Irri had hugged Curu the moment she saw him return from the long mission he and Levac had been on. His ears flattened from the memory of what the mission had been about. He subconsciously hugged himself as though cold, his surprisingly sharp claws lightly beginning to prod at the stitched side of his jacket Irri had fixed up. He missed the gang of misfits he once was apart of and he wasn't better off. He'd probably do almost anything to be able to rejoin the Lotus Kids, but with Cread possibly dead, he knew he couldn't. 

"A long time. I was training to become a General myself, after my father. He was my teacher and taught me everything I know. He was the one to train Curu as well and the rest is history." The General purred, the soft sound reverberating in the back of her throat. She flapped her hand beside her and shook out her body as though a sudden chill passed through her. "He and I often trained together with my father- Sileo Eclair."

Levac listened to them closely, one leg folded over the other fashionably. He tugged out his collar to fix it and look more presentable and the gold trimming of said collar lightly glimmered whenever the light of the room touched the material. His expression was hardened through years of silence and mystery, although when Bailey spoke, his eyes abruptly sharpened.

"Where is he anyway? Your father? He seems like he might be able to.. uh.. teach me a few things. Combat. About combat. Yeah." Bailey awkwardly stammered, a bit of heat flushing to his face out of embarrassment. He caught Levac's sharpened glare that met his pink eyes, and at that moment, he felt as though he was going to be the bigger predator's meal. It was that same glare the Dragonborn gave him those years ago when Cread told him to shoot the canine Levac ended up saving. 

Bailey didn't notice Irri's fallen expression.

"He's... up on the hill, overlooking the military base." Irri managed to say, her voice remaining level and calm. She offered him a smile. "He stays up there, now."

"Perhaps I'll meet him, then?" Bailey questioned innocently, a small smile beginning to stretch across his lips. His white teeth were somewhat visible, the pearly white canines shining with the innocence Bailey possessed and not the bloodlust many predators are hypocritically and sanctimoniously known for. 

"He's a busy man." The General replied with her familiar charm. Her head partially tilted to the side with her paw lightly tapping the edge of her seat to listen to the tapping. "Even I can't see him as much as I like to."

"I bet!" Bailey postulated, his kunzite tail lightly tapping the bed's mattress. He noticed Levac's deathly stare that was fixated upon him, the stare alone burrowing deep into him and shooting bullets through his heart. However, when the canine glanced towards the Dragonborn, Levac turned away to focus on Irri.

Bailey wasn't sure what Levac signed to the General with the fluid gesticulations and gestures of his clawed hands, but he could only assume it was for Irri's eyes and not his own. He didn't need to know sign to know that Levac cared for Irri; the way his eyes subtly softened towards her was key evidence. He always paid attention to the Dragonborn with piqued interest; his charming eyes, hardened countenance and visage, and his muscular body were endearing. Bailey was captivated by Levac's entire presence and at that, his heart began to quicken its beat. He could've sworn that if he was closer to the other two beasts, they would've been able to hear the way his heart quickened.

"You're right." Irri found herself saying, unbothered by the way her tail began to wag again. It lightly tapped against the backing of her chair along its side, causing a small tapping sound to emanate. "I should help Curu out. He's done quite a bit the past few days for me. Time to repay the favor." She purred, quickly standing to her feet. She was not tall, the complete opposite in fact; only standing at around five feet and five inches. Even Bailey was taller, for when he stood, he was just about five feet and nine inches at most. Levac was undoubtedly taller than both of them since he was taller than almost everyone, but the fact the scrawny little canine that was Bailey was taller than this General surprised him.

The small Dragonborn lightly patted Levac, her hand gentle as it smoothed over the long sleeve that he wore. "Keep Bailey company, alright?" The petite General purred, eventually making her leave. She strode past Levac and to the door, in which she opened and vanished behind it once her tail closed it.

Levac blinked towards the anxious-looking Bailey who was staring at him, unsure of what to say. He eventually rose to his paws and swiftly turned on his heels, his brown fur that trailed down his head and neck to the tip of his tail lightly ruffling in response to his movement. He made his way towards a counter that had paperwork piling up here and there along with various pens, pencils, and ink scattered about. He snatched a small notebook that was dwarfed by his hand- one of those pocket notebooks- and then a pen to go along with it. He brought over his new belongings despite the nervous glances the medics and doctors offered the massive predator once he walked by them. He rested on the same chair again, situating himself comfortably before flipping to the first clean page in his pocket notebook.

Bailey watched him expectantly as the Dragonborn scribbled down words across the paper, his handwriting surprisingly clean and easy to read. The canine was patient and refused to seem like he was rushing Levac because, to his surprise, Levac was taking the time to communicate with him through something they both understood. 

Finally, Levac lifted the pocket-sized notebook towards Bailey and handed it to him. " _Why do you seem so familiar?_ " The words read, and Bailey's eyebrows furrowed. Levac continued to stare at the many emotions that Bailey's visage conveyed; doubt, surprise, mild disappointment, and other emotions of confusion and anxiety that Levac also picked up on. 

"You don't remember me?" Bailey questioned quietly, his voice a mere whisper that Levac was barely able to pick up. The Dragonborn was able to hear the disappointment and despondency in his tone. He took the notebook back when the canine was done with it so that he could respond back to him.

" _No. Should I?_ " Levac questioned. His eyes remained impassive, staring into Bailey's very heart and soul, his pupils as sharp as brown-tainted daggers. Bailey knew he had to be careful around the Dragonborn with such a deadly glare because, at any given moment, he might have one of Levac's signature daggers at his throat in an instant.

"Nevermind..." Bailey quietly muttered. His pointed ears flattened against his lupine head and he sighed. "You said I was familiar?"

" _Remember pink. Lots of pink. Lotus._ " Levac replied once he received his notebook back. The words he wrote and the sentence formations were choppy and short, a similar way he talked in sign so that he didn't waste too much time with common articulation. " _Crystals._ "

"But you don't remember me? Just certain details?" Bailey asked solemnly, feeling his heart sink at the realization he'd have to try harder to win over Levac's trust. It didn't seem like it but Bailey noticed how tense Levac appeared; his muscles were flexed and his body was incredibly stiff, his eyes refused to leave Bailey's frame with their sharpened pupils cutting incisions through Bailey's mind, and so on. Everything about the dragon showed he didn't trust Bailey, but in Levac's defense, Bailey didn't blame him. War would harden the mind and heart of a person who has seen both allies and enemies fall by the hands of each other- and suddenly a bright pink canine such as himself comes along after having snuck past security. That would naturally appear sketchy.

Levac stared at Bailey with uncertainty, his mahogany-colored eyes unblinking like the predator he was. He fidgeted with the pocket-sized notebook in his large claw. His talon drew across the cover of the notebook and over the blue once he had closed it. He didn't answer to Bailey's question, his memory fuzzy and blurred as though the silhouette of a vision was outlining his memory but was just out of reach. His expression appeared thoughtful but otherwise impassive, an awkward silence hung over the duo as Levac attempted to remember. There was nothing he managed to recover and when he glanced over towards the canine resting n the bed, Bailey knew Levac had truly forgotten him. Forgotten their grand escape with Curu; the mission Levac had been on; their growing bond.

The way Levac held Bailey and saved his life was also a forgotten memory towards the draconic being.

Bailey flattened his ears against his skull, something he had a habit of doing as of late. He rubbed his bare neck and allowed the claws along his paw trail through his dual-colored magenta and pink fur. His paw lingered on the side of his neck where the lighter shade of pink resided and decorated the flawless strands with the quintessential coloration. 

" _I would like that if you taught me sign._ " 

" _It would be my honor!_ "

Curu's calm voice, etched with innocent pride and excitement, echoed within Bailey's mind. He had wanted to learn the useful language to understand Levac better- to know what was going on inside of his beautiful head. He never got the chance to learn it with Curu because of schedules and the fact he had not been allowed to stay according to General Irri, but the look on Levac's face sent chills down his spine. It was a look of vagueness; his eyes sharpened towards Bailey without the realization or familiarity that he knew who the canine was, and his face was hardened impassively. Despite how much it made Bailey's heart ache, he quietly admitted to himself something so devastating that it caused Bailey to finally look away.

What was the point to learn the language for his hero if the Dragonborn didn't even recognize him?

Levac inspected Bailey's distant expression and his brows furrowed thoughtfully. He flipped to another page in his notebook to get a fresh start. His pen danced along the lines stretched across the page as he wrote flawlessly, quickly catching Bailey's attention when he turned the notebook around for him.

" _Disappointed?_ "

Bailey stared at the singular word written in black ink on the page and he lifted his optics towards Levac once more. "A little." He admitted and Levac quickly caught the solemn tone etched into his voice.

" _I have that effect on people._ " Levac wrote with an attempt to be funny even though that was foreign territory for him. He didn't understand why he felt more content around this furry, little canine. Bailey was not intimidating in the slightest and it caused Levac to be a little more at ease. Of course, he didn't necessarily show it in his facial expression and across his visage.

"You? You make people feel disappointed? As if! I'm only a little disappointed that you don't remember me but you as a person is not disappointing in the _slightest_!" Bailey abruptly exclaimed with more energy than Levac has seen from the stammering and stumbling canine that was prone to fainting. "You're awesome, amazing, and soooo epic! You get your job done, no questions asked. I basically admire you! I wouldn't be here if that wasn't true."

Levac stared with dumbfounded uncertainty towards Bailey's words, his brows furrowing and his eyes subtly widening. He was caught off-guard, a sense of faint glee and pride shining in his brown eyes towards the admiration Bailey very clearly showed him. He fidgeted with the notebook in his claw, clearly astonished and flabbergasted towards the praise. He finally began to write on a clean page, bringing ink to the paper after his moment of astonishment. 

" _You admire me?_ "

“Of course I do! You saved my life.” Bailey promptly nodded, causing his trifles of fur hanging before his countenance to gently sway. 

That’s right. Levac did save someone. He’s saved lots of people, but there was one in particular that always flashed before his memories in a dance of pink. Was it this scrawny predator with fur of bright colors? He couldn’t remember and when he tried, his head pounded relentlessly like little knives prodded at his skull internally. He brought a paw up to his head briefly and pressed it against the side. His fingers splayed out a bit so he didn’t tousle his brown fur atop of his pointed, menacing head.

There was something there, something fleeting. That feeling became relevant whenever he thought about Bailey and took in his words. His devastatingly familiar words. There was something there. Levac couldn’t remember and he let out a shuddering sigh.

Levac took in a sharp breath, his expression of contemplativeness wavering. He disregarded Bailey’s concerned expression and danced his pen along the paper. “ _Can’t remember... Hard to._ ” 

Bailey read the beautifully written words along the paper. He sighed softly in that familiar feeling of disappointment until he recollected the pained expression Levac had shown previously. It almost looked like trying to remember hurt him. Bailey didn’t want that. He didn’t want his hero to be hurt.

“Do you want- change the subject? To change?” Bailey questioned, dreading his familiar slight stutter. He drew his tongue over his maw in silent guilt. When Levac nodded, the canine attempted to cogitate. “How... long have you been working for the military?” He questioned. He always did like a man in uniform.

“ _Since child. Military been home since child. Doesn’t remember time before military._ ” Levac wrote, causing piqued curiosity within Bailey. The canine read the words, pondered them, regarded them with a slight flick of his ear, and finally nodded. He didn’t mind Levac using broken Common to communicate. It was easier to write, he assumed, and it wasn’t like he misunderstood them. He understood the words surprisingly well.

“Where were your parents?” Bailey asked in his attempts at learning more about Levac, albeit looked disappointed when Levac shrugged. 

Levac looked ready to respond, had it not been for the sudden arms that wrapped around him from behind. Scaly, rugged, and rough, with protruding spines that aligned the tan arms of the being. Levac had dropped his notebook and pen with a clatter against the ground, his entire muscular frame tensing immensely in discomfort. He hated physical contact because he felt vulnerable. 

He was hardly aware of Bailey bristling by the bed, almost defensively.

As if instinctively, Levac abruptly stood with a lash of his feathered tail, the appendage easily sweeping the chair aside and his assailant off of her feet. She collided with the ground and quickly got the attention of all of the medics in the room, albeit none of them wanted to interfere. 

Levac stared down at the woman he had retaliated against, his eyes of brown was bleeding with silent fury. He took in her scaly appearance, the bearded dragon tan in coloration with splotches of white here and there in vitiligo fashion from missing pigments. Spines protruded from her arms and her head, running down her back in surprisingly beautiful spirals. She looked the most like a bearded dragon but instead of hardened, calloused skin, she had scales that protected her from most things.

“Oh, looks like you swept me off my feet yet again, Levvy.” The female bearded dragon purred, a row of special scales beneath her chin visible in the form of a peculiar, shiny beard. It vibrated whenever she talked.

Levvy? Did Bailey hear that correctly? Defensively, Bailey stood to his paws and stumbled slightly from the pounding headache that retaliated against his brain. His entire body shuddered in strain but he faced the scaly creature. He stood beside the clearly irritated Levac.

“His name is Levac.” Bailey interjected, feeling a sense of confidence rise within his chest in defiance.

“Darling, sit down and let the adults talk.” She purred, her frill beneath her chin undulating. She stood to her jagged claws, the keratin lightly scraping against the ground in a horrible sound. Her long, rugged tail hung jut above the ground, poking out of a specially designed hole in her breeches along her hindquarters. She didn’t wear anything too fancy, although she possessed multiple badges of honor.

Bailey already didn’t like this woman. He cringed towards her hungry eyes and the way her tongue flicked out of her mouth, craving for something. He shuddered slightly at the imagination of what that ‘something’ could be. 

“No, I don’t think I will.” Bailey groveled daringly, the sound reverberating in the back of his throat in an unfamiliar fashion. He grabbed Levac’s wrist protectively, as if he was defending the clearly capable dragon against this dragon wannabe. “Who even are you?”

“Klena. Klena Cale.” The bearded dragon purred, holding back a hiss of displeasure towards Bailey’s possessive nature and the fact Levac almost didn’t seem to mind too much. The dragon still tensed from the physical contact but didn’t pull away, as if he didn’t want to hurt the scrawnier predator.

That name was way too familiar to Bailey. He had remembered everything about that day Levac and Curu came to his rescue. He remembered Curu’s kind nature and Levac’s quieter one. He remembered his conversation with the pilot and the mention of an Explosions Expert that shared the same name as this bearded dragon. 

After remembering Curu mentioning Klena was a bearded dragon, he quickly was able to confirm this was the same woman.

Bailey couldn’t believe he thought Klena sounded cool.

“Now, why don’t you sit down, furball?” Klena purred in a mocking fashion, slowly stepping closer to the duo. She brushed a claw along Levac’s arm and flicked her tongue out playfully when he recoiled. 

“He doesn’t like that.” Bailey attempted, only to flinch when Klena shot him a glare with her red, heady eyes.

“We have to go on a mission anyway. There’s an outpost up Noerh we have to destroy. General Eclair appointed us together because we’re two of the best!” Klena chuckled, brushing her scaly tail against Levac’s feathery appendage. He stepped aside again, still not pulling away from Bailey’s grasp.

“I think Curu and Levac make a better team.” Bailey muttered breathlessly, his pink optics narrowing intensely. He felt inclined to pull a knife on this woman but he didn’t know how well his makeshift dagger would work against the scales of this peculiar dragon wannabe.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Klena growled, her voice etched in such a lethal venom that it made Bailey faintly shudder in subtle fear. For Levac, however, he stayed put.

“I do know- about.“ Bailey slightly stammered, his kunzite tail swaying behind him. The surface of his tail, made of the crystalline substance, glimmered in the light of the medic’s quarters. The medics watched in tense silence.

To ensure Bailey and Klena didn’t engage in any conflict, Levac pulled away from Bailey in finality. He lightly patted the canine’s shoulder- a simple but meaningful gesture.

_Stay put._

At least, that’s what Bailey interpreted it as. Just as Levac commanded with those mahogany eyes that enchanted Bailey with their spell, the canine stayed put. He watched with silent disbelief and disappointment when Levac faced Klena, exchanged a glance with her, then headed for the door.

Bailey’s heart thudded against his chest when Klena left first and Levac glanced behind him, fixating his stare on Bailey momentarily. He lifted a hand in a slight wave and, just like that, the silent Dragonborn left with the lizard.

Bailey exhaled sharply and felt a pang in his chest. He glanced down at the notebook and pen still laying on the ground once the medics began to move actively again. He reached down and picked the two items up into his paws and held them close. He pulled over the chair Levac had thrown aside and rested upon its surface to focus on the lingering warmth radiating from the chair due to Levac’s previous presence.

And just like that, he sat there for hours, going through the words Levac had written to him during their conversation. His claw trailed over each individual letter, marking it as his.

Gods, how desperately he wanted Levac as his own, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Possessive Bailey, who knew?

**Author's Note:**

> Seems like Bailey is falling for Levac. *Ba dum tssh*-


End file.
